KR100332324B1 - Rocket launching system employing thermal-acoustic detection for rocket ignition - Google Patents

Abstract

A rocket launch system 40 is provided that uses an ignition device 12, 13, 14, 18 that is used in conjunction with a small rocket 10 to launch a rocket from artillery 30. The rocket is equipped with an acoustic (pressure) sensor and an optical (thermal) sensor for detecting pressure pulses and flashes of the primer charge 35 used to fire the artillery. Simultaneous detection of pressure pulses and flashes by these sensors generates an output signal that is used to complete the electronic circuit in the electronic ignition circuit 12 that drives the igniter 18 that ignites the rocket motor 16.

Description

ROCKET LAUNCHING SYSTEM EMPLOYING THERMAL-ACOUSTIC DETECTION FOR ROCKET IGNITION}

For many practical reasons, including safe arming and preference for electrical ignition control circuits, it is desirable to use electrical ignition for small rockets. However, the artillery of the army fires a grenade by pulling a pull cord that drives a mechanical trigger pin that triggers a trigger detonator. Typically the wiring structure through the tailing mechanism of the gun used to electrically ignite the rocket is not practical.

Currently, artillery finds targets and uses forward guards to assess damage. Forward guards are soldiers or small teams deployed to enemy lines to observe potential targets. Using radio, the forward guard reports potential targets and maps target coordinates to friendly artillery firing command centers. The use of forward guards has the disadvantages that crews are at very high risk and it is difficult to timely deploy them in critical areas.

Alternatively, manned aircraft or unmanned reconnaissance aircraft can be used to observe targets that artillery fires. Disadvantages of aircraft or unmanned reconnaissance aircraft are that they are not controlled by artillery personnel and are not always available when artillery operations are required. In addition, aircraft and unmanned reconnaissance aircraft are noisy, usually fly low and are likely to be caught by enemy forces. Aircraft entry into enemy lines exposes the pilot and other crews to a very high risk. In addition, aircraft or unmanned reconnaissance aircraft are relatively expensive to operate.

The assignee of the present invention has developed an artillery round, for example in the form of an unmanned rocket equipped with an optical sensor that can be used to observe a battlefield. The shell was designed to be carried by artillery crews as part of a normal personal commander. Therefore, this shell can be used by artillery personnel at any time. The shell is small, noiseless, unmanned aerial vehicle gliding the enemy's target area, hardly audible and invisible. The shell is much cheaper than an aircraft or large engine-propelled invisible reconnaissance aircraft, and it does not expose the crew to danger.

However, there is a need for simple means to launch shells (or unmanned rockets) that can be used from on-site equipment. The present invention seeks to satisfy this need. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a rocket launch system utilizing a thermo-acoustic rocket ignition system that can be used to launch a rocket from a gun or a howitzer.

Summary of the Invention

In order to satisfy the above and other objects, the present invention provides a rocket launch system using an ignition device used in a small rocket to launch a rocket from a gun such as a grenade or a gun, for example. The rockets are equipped with acoustic (pressure) and optical (thermal) sensors that detect pressure pulses and flashes of primer charge used to fire artillery. Simultaneous detection of pressure pulses and flashes by the sensor generates an output signal that is used to complete the electrical circuit in the electronic ignition circuit that drives the igniter to ignite the rocket motor. According to the present invention, the artillery is ignited to launch the rocket in the normal manner without having to change the tail of the artillery to route the electrical conductor from the rocket to its external ignition circuit. Thus, the present invention provides a practical means for launching a rocket from a grenade or artillery.

The rocket can be safely launched from grenade or artillery using optical sensors and pressure (shock) sensors. The rocket is equipped with an on-board pressure sensor and an optical sensor that detect pressure pulses and thermal flashes associated with primer charge. In operation, the rocket is loaded into the firing chamber of the artillery. The tail of the gun is closed and the primer charge is automatically ignited. The acoustic sensor and the optical sensor simultaneously detect the ignition of the primer, and the electrical circuit in the rocket is driven to electrically ignite the rocket motor to launch the rocket.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a practical ignition mechanism for grenade and artillery rockets. The present invention is quite practical because it allows an unmanned rocket to be fired exactly like any other grenade.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to rocket ignition systems, and more particularly to rocket launch systems that employ thermo-acoustic rocket ignition systems to launch rockets from guns or howitzers.

1 shows an artillery projectile in accordance with the principles of the present invention that may be fired from a grenade or artillery;

2 illustrates a rocket launch system in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

1 shows an artillery projectile 10 in accordance with the principles of the present invention fired from a grenade 30 or artillery 30 (of FIG. 2). The combination of artillery 10 and artillery 30 illustrates a rocket launch system 40 in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

The artillery 10 includes an electronic ignition circuit 12, an optical sensor 13, an acoustic sensor 14, a smokeless rocket motor 16, a camera 17, and a GPS guidance system 19. It includes a housing (11) comprising a. A plurality of folding wings 15, ie aft tail surfaces 15, are disposed at the stern portion of the artillery project 10. A plurality of folding wings 15, ie aft tail surfaces 15, provide aerodynamic guidance of the artillery projectile 10. A plurality of fin projections 15a are disposed around the front portion of the artillery 10 to help securely load in the artillery 30. The peripheral guide ring 15b is substantially the same as the width of the stern tail surface 15. Guide ring 15b and pin projection 15a are used to position projectile 10 in the center of bore 32 of gun 30.

The basic artillery projectile 10, except for the rocket motor 16, its electronic ignition circuit 12, and the sensors 13 and 14 employed in the present invention, is handed over to the assignee of the present invention in July 1996. Published in US Pat. No. 5,537,909 in the patent titled All Aspect Bomb Damage Assessment System dated 23. The basic artillery projectile 10 disclosed in this patent is a glider that is not powered as in the present invention and includes an imaging system carried by air to ground weapons, which is fired prior to bombardment to the target area. Provide terrain.

In the main projectile 10, the optical sensor 13 and the acoustic sensor 14 are coupled to the electronic ignition circuit 12. Electronic ignition circuit 12 is coupled to igniter 18 used to ignite lead-free rocket motor 16. The optical sensor 13 is used to detect the substantially simultaneous occurrence of flashes and pressure pulses from the primer charge used to launch the artillery 10 from the artillery 30. This will be discussed in more detail with reference to section 2.

The artillery projectile 10 is a consumable imaging device that operates as an autonomous and consumable flight sensor. The artillery projectile 10 is a miniature glide with foldable wings 15 packaged as 155 millimeter diameter shells. Artillery projectile 10 is fired from cannon 30 or artillery 30 (FIG. 2) and is propelled by smokeless rocket motor 16 along a rocket-propelled orbit. When the rocket motor 16 runs out and the artillery projectile 10 reaches its peak, the projectile 10 in flight unfolds its wings 15 and glides into the target area. Once over the target area, artillery projectile 10 activates the camera 17 to transmit an image of the target area for combat damage assessment or air reconnaissance reconnaissance.

Consumable combat damage estimation sensor included in artillery projectile 10 is about 50 centimeters (20 inches) in length, weighs about 3.6 kilograms (8 pounds), has an air velocity of 50 meters per second, To navigate. The artillery 10 has no engine, no fuel, no maintenance, no aviation, and relatively low cost.

The artillery projectile 10 develops the technique disclosed in US Pat. No. 5,537,909 to provide a grenade-propelled projectile 10 as shown in FIG. Specifically, FIG. 2 shows a rocket launch system 40 according to the principles of the present invention for launching the projectile 10 shown in FIG. 1. The gun 30 is conventional and has a gun tube 31 with an internal bore 32 terminating in a breech 33. In the shell 32 of the barrel 31 are lands and grooves 38, 39. At the rear of the barrel 31, a foam block 34 is disposed. A trigger primer 35 is disposed at an end portion of the through hole 36 that penetrates the pomi block 34 and reaches the pony 33.

The artillery projectile 10 is fired using the lead-free rocket motor 16 instead of the conventional artillery propellant. Rocket propulsion obtained from the smokeless rocket motor 16 reduces launch acceleration from about 25,000 g's to 30 g's in a typical artillery. The use of lead-free rocket motors 16 enables the use of low cost commercial components for the projectile 10 that do not have to be hardened. As a result, the cost of the projectile 10 is relatively low and thus can be consumable. There is no need for restoration or maintenance, further reducing operating costs.

To launch the artillery projectile 10, the artillery operator opens a storage canister (not shown) to remove the artillery projectile 10. The fire-enable safety switch 23 is activated. The artillery 10 is loaded into a gun breech 33. Guide rings are installed on the lands 38 and the grooves 39. The artillery projectile 10 is rocket propelled and therefore does not require forward pony closure (gas seal). The protective tail cone 21 is removed by activating the safe / arm circuit 22 and pulling a lanyard (not shown).

The breech block 34 is closed. The gun 30 is lifted and pivoted. Shooting is initiated by pulling the lanyard to explode the conventional trigger primer 35. Light sensors and pressure sensors 13, 14 on artillery projectile 10 detect simultaneous pressure pulses and flashes from the primer 35. Logic circuitry embedded in the firing circuit 12 initiates the rocket ignition procedure. Within about 1 second, the rocket motor 16 is electrically fired. When the artillery projected 10 reaches the target area determined by the GPS coordinate system, the image generated by the camera 17 is transmitted.

The foregoing has described a rocket launch system employing a thermo-acoustic rocket ignition system that can be used to launch a rocket from artillery or grenade. The foregoing embodiments merely illustrate some of the many specific embodiments that are applications of the principles of the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many other configurations can be readily devised without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims (3)

In the rocket launch system 10 for launching the projectile 10, Gun tube 31 having an internal bore, a breech 33 disposed adjacent to the trailing end of the barrel, a breech block 34 disposed at the trailing end of the barrel, A pore 30 comprising a percussion primer 35 disposed on a pomi block; And A plurality of folding wings 15 arranged around the outer surface of the housing 11, a rocket motor 16, an electronic ignition circuit 12, an optical sensor 13 coupled to the electronic ignition circuit, the electronic ignition An acoustic sensor 14 coupled to the circuit, an igniter 18 coupled to the electronic ignition circuit to ignite the rocket motor, and a Global Positioning System (GPS) guidance system (19). The projectile 11 having a housing 11 Including; The acoustic sensor and optical sensor detect substantially simultaneous occurrence of pressure pulses and flashes from a primer charge used to launch the projectile from the artillery, and output from the acoustic sensor and the optical sensor. And the signal drives an electronic ignition circuit that activates a telephone to fire the projectile. 2. The rocket launch system according to claim 1, wherein the projectile (10) further comprises a camera (17). In an ignition system for firing a projectile 10 from a gun 30 with a primer 35, The projectile 10 includes a rocket motor 16, an electronic ignition circuit 12, an optical sensor 13 coupled to the electronic ignition circuit, an acoustic sensor 14 coupled to the electronic ignition circuit, and the optical. An igniter 18 coupled to the electronic ignition circuit for igniting the rocket motor in response to an output signal obtained from both a sensor and an acoustic sensor, The acoustic sensor and the optical sensor detect substantially simultaneous occurrence of flashes of pressure and flash from the primer charge used to launch the projectile from the artillery, and the output signal obtained from the acoustic sensor and the optical sensor is the projectile. And drive an electronic ignition circuit to operate the igniter to fire the rocket.